Current Status of Genetically Engineered Animals. Alison Van Eenennaam, Ph.D. Cooperative Extension Specialist Animal Biotechnology and Genomics

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1 Current Status of Genetically Engineered Animals Alison Van Eenennaam, Ph.D. Cooperative Extension Specialist Animal Biotechnology and Genomics Department of Animal Science University of California, Davis BIO 05/04/10

2 Animal breeders have been geneticallymodifying animals for centuries

3 I am not going to be talking changes made by animal breeding today.

4 But rather changes made by the process of genetic engineering.

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9 What is your overall impression of using biotechnology with animals that produce food products such as meat, milk, and eggs? IFIC (2008)

10 Proportional increase in world head of livestock ; data from FAO (2005) Figure based on Pretty, J. (2008) Agricultural sustainability: concepts, principles and evidence. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences 363:

11 Figure from Delgado, C. L Rising consumption of meat and milk in developing countries has created a new food revolution. Journal of Nutrition 133:3907S-3910S.

12 Extant GE livestock applications ENVIRONMENTAL Species Gene Approach Decreased P in manure Swine Phytase Transgene overexpression DISEASE RESISTANCE Mastitis resistance Cattle Lysostaphin Transgene expression BSE resistance Goat, Cattle Prion RNAi transgene; knockout Visna virus resistance Sheep Visna virus envelope gene Transgene expression Mastitis resistance Goats Lysozyme Transgene expression GCH virus resistance Grass Carp Lactoferrin Transgene expression Bacterial resistance Channel Catfish Cecropin B gene Transgene expression PRODUCT QUALITY Increased ω-3 fatty acids in meat Swine n-3 fatty acid desaturase Clone/Transgene expression Increase cheese yield from milk Cattle β-casein, κ-casein Clone/Transgene expression PRODUCTIVITY Enhanced growth rate Many fish species Growth Hormone Transgene expression Enhanced milk production Swine α-lactalbumin Transgene expression Enhanced growth rate Swine Growth hormone Transgene expression Enhanced growth rate Swine Insulin-like-growth factor Transgene expression Fahrenkrug et al Precision Genetics for Complex Objectives in Animal Agriculture. J. Anim Sci. In press. doi: /jas

13 Enviropig TM (Low-phosphorus manure) Nature Biotechnology 2001 reduces fecal phosphorus output by up to 75%

14 Mastitis-resistant cows (inflammation of mammary gland) Nature Biotechnology 23:

15 Mad cow -resistant cows (bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)) Nature Biotechnology 2007 PNAS 2006

16 Envisioned GE livestock applications ENVISIONED APPICATIONS Species Proposed Approach Suppressing infectious pathogens Various RNAi (Lentivirus) (e.g. foot-and-mouth disease resistance) Avian flu resistance Poultry RNAi (Lentivirus) Coronavirus-resistance Swine RNAi /Knockout Low lactose milk Cattle Transgene expression Low lactose milk Cattle RNAi /Knockout Increased ovulation rate Sheep RNAi /Knockout High omega-3 fatty acid milk Cattle Transgene expression Resistance to Brucellosis Cattle Transgene expression Decreased P in manure Poultry Transgene expression Increased lean-muscle growth Cattle RNAi /Knockout Increased post-natal growth Various RNAi /Knockout Enhanced mammary gland development Various RNAi /Knockout Fahrenkrug et al Precision Genetics for Complex Objectives in Animal Agriculture. J. Anim Sci. In press. doi: /jas

17 Disease-resistant genetically modified animals Rev. sci. tech. Off. int Epiz

18 Would there be general acceptance of transgenic technology if it could be applied to engineering resistance to influenza in poultry and therefore lessen the risk of an influenza epidemic, such as the one in 1918 that killed more than 20 million people? Clark,J. & Whitelaw,B A future for transgenic livestock. Nature Reviews Genetics 4,

19 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak in UK $ 3.5 to $6 billion lost, Numerous producer suicides Millions of animals slaughtered from 10,000 farms Is it possible that playing it safe by not pursuing research and development in genetically engineered animals might deny us a technique or products which could prevent an environmental or public health disaster in fifty years time, or could prove invaluable in the treatment of some livestock disease?

20 genetic engineering is a key technology, which will be vital for meeting the world s future food needs. While animal genetics alone will not solve the world s future food problems, to fail to apply the best available technologies to the solution of contemporary and future food shortages would be morally reprehensible. Fahrenkrug et al Precision Genetics for Complex Objectives in Animal Agriculture. J. Anim Sci. In press. doi: /jas

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